Julie Barrett is a freelance writer and photographer based in Plano, TX.

Back in the saddle...

Fresh when it gets here from Julie Barrett
Tuesday, January 2, 2007


Actually, still in the saddle would be more appropriate. I start the year behind already: Dead tired, overworked and still trying to recover from the hit-and-run stomach bug.

I have a few minutes to catch up, so here's the tale: Christmas was wonderful. I had a day of doing practically nothing. At the time I wasn't to know how grateful I would be for that. Tuesday morning a rush project got dumped in my lap. I knew the freelance job was dangerous when I took it.

I'll be busy on this through Friday, I suspect. Between this and the other project I've been swamped. My year-end books are not closed. This is something I always try to accomplish between Christmas and New Year's Day. I do my sales taxes for the state and get my own income and tax payments in order so I can start on the family taxes. This is the moment when, like Ebeneezer Blackadder, discover I have a pittance left over to spend on merriment.

Seriously, this must be done soon so I can pay my quarterly taxes.

So it's the new year, begun much as it ended, but without the stomach virus.

I generally don't make resolutions. Well, I generally don't make my resolutions public. New Year's Day is not a new start. It's just an arbitrary line in the sands of time she says, twisting in the knife of tired metaphor. I did have some goals, though, so let's see how I did on those:

Lose weight. This is an ongoing goal, one which I never manage to achieve. Thanks to the second goal, I've dropped 20 pounds and hope to lose more.

Get my health act together. About May (what did I say about arbitrary lines) I decided that it was my turn. I've spent so much time taking care of other people that I'd neglected my own health, outside of obligatory visits for asthma meds. I've pretty much chronicled all THAT. And yes, I'm still waiting on the results from my last follow-up. But I was assured at the time that this is a "no news is good news" situation. So there ya go.

Sell more stuff. Make more money. Well, I have yet to see the year-end books, but I don't think I've budged much on that score. Given the health issues though, that's okay. 2007 looks to be much better.

Take more pictures. Sharpen my photo skills. Well, I've certainly taken more pictures...

If I had to make resolutions for this year, I'd say more of the same. These are really ongoing goals. I'd still like to lose more weight. I have some very interesting projects on the horizon, but I don't want to say much until I have deals in hand. I'm going to read - and comment on - more blogs this year. With that in mind I've set up Google Reader and installed a Firefox extension that notifies me of updates. So far that's been a real timesaver.

Well, I have lots to do today. Work on two fronts, a DI meeting, grocery shopping, and I'd like to take a small stab at the books. Better get cracking.

Tags: . (Don't talk to me about life.)
Filed under: Life            

 

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